1. Field
The following description relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner having a detachable cord reel unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An upright or canister type vacuum cleaner may generally be driven by external power to generate a suction force with a fan motor unit mounted therein to draw in an air stream. Foreign substances may be removed from the air stream by way of a centrifuge as the air stream and foreign substances are drawn from a surface being cleaned. This type of vacuum cleaner may employ a cord reel unit to house therein a reel of power cord that is generally long enough to enable the vacuum cleaner to cover a sufficient area.
The cord reel unit may be located on an internal air discharge passage of the vacuum cleaner to cool heat generated from the power cord.
However, the cord reel unit on the internal discharge passage of the vacuum cleaner may generate a problem if it obstructs outgoing air stream. Additionally, since the cord reel unit is housed inside the vacuum cleaner, the cord reel unit may be influenced by internal heat of the vacuum cleaner.
Korean Utility Model Publication No. 1999-0016097 (“KR '097”), Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-161613 (“JP '613”), Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-169972 (“JP '972”), Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-112682 (“JP '682”), and Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-322116 (“JP '116”) propose solutions for problems related with the cord reel unit of the vacuum cleaner mentioned above.
KR '097 pertains to a structure in which the cord reel unit is separable from the vacuum cleaner during cleaning operation.
Since the cord reel unit is separable from the vacuum cleaner during cleaning, the cord reel unit does not obstruct the outgoing air stream of the vacuum cleaner, and the vacuum cleaner may have improved discharge and cleaning efficiency.
JP '613, JP '972, JP '682, and JP '116 are directed to a vacuum cleaner including a separate cooling fan that is attached within the cord reel unit. The cooling fan may remove heat from the power cord of the cord reel unit, increase exhaust pressure and may thereby resolve the problem of deteriorated exhaustion.
However, there are several drawbacks to arrangements in the above references. For example, KR '097 is not able to remove the heat generated from the detached cord reel unit efficiently.
Heat irradiated from the cord reel unit is in proportion to the square of the electric current. This means that the possibility of serious accidents such as short circuit or fire increases. This risk may increase, for example, in areas such as North America or Japan, since electric current increases and thus more heat is generated in these areas, as 120V is the standard in North America, and 110V in Japan.
JP '613, JP '972, JP '682, and JP '116 may remove heat generated from the cord reel unit efficiently, since a separate cooling fan is provided inside the cord reel unit. However, since the cord reel unit is kept in the vacuum cleaner, the weight of the vacuum cleaner increases and the cleaning efficiency degrades as it becomes inconvenient for a user to carry the vacuum cleaner. Additionally, the user may have increased fatigue.